The first of a two-volume study of the relative accessibility of French vocabulary in French-speaking Canada presents statistical data concerning the frequency, distribution, valence, and accessibility of vocabulary related to 16 fundamental centers of interest found in normal conversation. The scope, procedures, and results of the study are presented. This document provides a source for researchers in psychology, linguistics, sociology, and pedagogy who wish to perform related experiments and lack statistical data for validation of hypotheses. As a model for future lexicological studies, the work illustrates the methodology used in a computer-oriented analysis of the problem. The notion of "accessibility," as a measure of cultural difference among speakers of the same language from different geographic regions, is of vital importance in this study. Data pertain to the study of accessibility of vocabulary in Acadia, particularly, and in France. Computer-printouts, figures, tables, and appendixes are provided. For the companion document see FL 002 939. (RL)